TV: DAD’S ARMY

by PETER TATCHELL (reprinted from LAUGH MAGAZINE #6, 1993)

In the late 1960s, scriptwriter Jimmy Perry found himself watching the Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace. Suddenly his mind’s eye took him back to an earlier parade . . . that of the Home Guard troop in which (as a boy) he’d served in World War II. Realizing the idea had potential on television, he and producer David Croft wrote a thirty-minute play about the unit and offered it to the BBC They too thought the situation had promise, and asked for a further five stories to make up a series.

The program’s leading players were to be Arthur Lowe (fresh from Pardon The Expression) and John Le Mesurier (who’d just concluded four seasons as the Colonel in George And The Dragon). Indeed the original idea was to have Le Mesurier in the role of Mainwaring, with Lowe as the sergeant, but wise heads reversed the parts before production began.

Also cast were Clive Dunn (old Mr. Johnson in the popular Bootsie And Snudge series), Arnold Ridley (actor and writer of the theatrical evergreen The Ghost Train), John Laurie (a familiar face in British films since the 1930s) and two relative newcomers James Beck and Ian Lavender, as the younger characters. Revue artist Bill Pertwee (coming from the successful radio series Beyond Our Ken and Round The Horne) was signed as the chief antagonist, A.R.P. Warden Hodges.

When the show premiered at the end of July 1968, its wartime setting was highlighted by the use of archival newsreel footage after the opening credits, and as an added touch, the great Bud Flanagan sang a specially written theme Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr. Hitler?. It was to be his last recording and he died of a heart attack soon after.

Whether nostalgia for the dark days of the second world war, or the skillful blending of endearing characters and farcical (but believable) storylines, audiences around the country soon took the inhabitants of Walmington-On-Sea to their hearts. A second batch of six programs was screened in early 1969, and Dad’s Army was off on the road to becoming one of television’s all-time favourites.

After twelve episodes in black-and-white, the show transferred to colour by the end of the year with a further fourteen editions. Such was the popularity of the series, Columbia Pictures commissioned a movie version using the team, which went before the cameras in the summer of 1970 (premiering the following April). The film retold the origins of the squad (now in colour, and on the wide screen) with a much larger budget than the early BBC programs could boast.

The TV version, though, was back on the small screens by the end of 1970 and a one-hour special was shown the following Christmas. Apart from the millions of viewers in Britain and around the world who regularly watched the show, it was known to be a particular favourite by certain inhabitants of Buckingham Palace as well.

In late 1973, having amassed some sixty episodes, Dad’s Army was adapted for radio, with twenty of the original scripts re-recorded for broadcast in early 1974. BBC elder statesman John Snagge was invited to set the scene at the beginning of each of the storylines.

Despite having several cast members in their seventies, it was ironical that actor James Beck should be the first of the group to die (mid way through this series of radio recordings) at a tragically young age. His characterization of the spiv ‘Walker’ had opened the doors to a very promising career which was not allowed to reach its potential.

A further two seasons of television editions were made by the end of 1975 when the Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard unit set off to conquer a new medium . . . the West End stage. Dad’s Army (the musical!) opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on October the 2nd with regular cast members being joined by John Bardon (in the Walker role) and Hamish Roughead (filling in for John Laurie who did not take part in the production). The show’s plot allowed the characters to pay tribute to the great performers of the war years, from Flanagan and Allen, Max Miller and Robb Wilton to the Andrews Sisters.

A high spot of the presentation was the team’s performance of The Floral Dance, which resulted in the cast being “commanded” to repeat it at that year’s Royal Variety show.

Special Christmas editions of the show were transmitted at the end of 1975 and 1976 and the following year the BBC announced Dad’s Army would have its ninth and final season. For nearly a decade it had been a treasured favourite and no one wanted to see it finish with any lessening of appeal.

It’s now forty years since the Walmington-­On-Sea platoon first marched into our living rooms. If nothing else, their durability cannot be questioned . . . television, movies, radio, the West End stage, books, records, cassettes, CDs, videos and DVDs. A sizeable number of their players have now left the scene, but the enjoyment they created can be relived at the flick of a switch.

Series 1 (black-and-white)
July 31 1968 The Man And The Hour
Britain is at war and the residents of Walmington On Sea form their own Home Guard unit led by the local bank manager
August 7 1968 Museum Piece
Captain Mainwaring hears the local war museum houses a case of Boer War carbines and he decides to commandeer them for the platoon.
August 14 1968 Command Decision
A retired colonel who owns a private collection of twenty rifles tries to take over command of the platoon.
August 21 1968 The Enemy Within The Gates
Walker and Pike capture a German parachutist, but before they can claim their £10 bounty, Godfrey lets him go.
August 28 1968 The Showing Up Of Corporal Jones
The officer-in-charge of the Home Guard training section inspects the platoon, and has serious doubts about Corporal Jones’ capabilities.
September 4 1968 Shooting Pains
Mainwaring’s men must compete in a shooting contest to decide the unit to be chosen as guard-of-honour for a visiting V.I.P.

December 25 1968 Christmas Night with the Stars
featured a Dad’s Army segment.

Series 2 (black-and-white)
March 1 1969 Operation Kilt
The platoon takes part in training exercises with the regular army and Captain Mainwaring places great store in “enemy” intelligence.
March 8 1969 The Battle For Godfrey’s Cottage
Private Godfrey’s cottage is considered to have strategic importance in the face of an enemy attack, so a machine-gun post is set up there.
March 15 1969 The Loneliness Of A Long Distance Walker (NO COPY SURVIVES)
When Private Walker is called up Captain Mainwaring considers his impending loss of black market goods
March 22 1969 Sergeant Wilson’s Little Secret
When Mrs. Pike decides to take in a refugee child, talk of the impending “little stranger” is misconstrued by Wilson who decides to do the honourable thing.
March 29 1969 A Stripe For Frazer (NO COPY SURVIVES)
Captain Mainwaring has to decide which member of the platoon should be promoted to the rank of corporal alongside Jones.
April 5 1969 Under Fire (NO COPY SURVIVES)
In the midst of an air-raid the platoon have to deal with a number of incendiary bombs.

Series 3 (colour)
September 11 1969 The Armoured Might Of Lance Corporal Jones
Corporal Jones’s delivery van is converted for military purposes when Walker makes available some illicit petrol coupons.
September 18 1969 Battle School
The unit takes part in a weekend course of guerrilla tactics under instruction by former members of the Spanish International Brigade.
September 25 1969 The Lion Has Phones
When an enemy aircraft crashes into the reservoir, Captain Mainwaring’s communication system is put to the test.
October 2 1969 The Bullet Is Not For Firing
Mainwaring arranges a court of enquiry when the platoon fire their ammunition at a low-flying enemy aircraft.
October 9 1969 Something Nasty In The Vault
A bank inspector pays a visit to Walmington-On-Sea at the very moment an unexploded German bomb lands in the vault.
October 16 1969 Room At The Bottom
An officer from H.Q. arrives to tell Mainwaring he is not entitled to his commission.
October23 1969 Big Guns
The platoon is given a large naval gun to defend the Walmington-On-Sea coastline, but unfortunately none of them
knows how to work it.
October 30 1969 The Day The Balloon Went Up
A large barrage balloon becomes entangled in the church steeple and Mainwaring’s men have to release it.
November 6 1969 War Dance
Captain Mainwaring decides to stage a platoon dance and a committee is set up to organise things.
November 13 1969 Menace From The Deep
The unit is in charge of a machine-gun post at the end of the pier when a mine is noticed drifting their way.
November 20 1969 Branded
Private Godfrey confesses he could never actually shoot anyone should the occasion arise, and tenders two week’s notice.
November 27 1969 Man Hunt
Private Walker finds an enemy parachute and arranges for the material to be made into ladies lingerie.
December 4 1969 No Spring For Frazer
A vital spring from the platoon’s Lewis gun has disappeared and all indications point to it being in the coffin of a newly-deceased villager.
December 11 1969 Sons Of The Sea
When the bank acquires a boat in lieu of an unpaid debt, Mainwaring arranges for the platoon to train in seamanship.

December 25 1969 Christmas Night with the Stars
featured a Dad’s Army segment: Resisting The Agressor Down The Ages

Series 4
September 25 1970 The Big Parade
Mainwaring selects a ram as the platoon’s mascot when it takes part in a parade for Spitfire Fund Week.
October 2 1970 Don’t Forget The Diver
The unit must capture a windmill when they take part in a series of manoeuvres.
October 9 1970 Boots, Boots, Boots
To maintain the platoon’s fitness, Captain Mainwaring decides to instigate a number of long route marches.
October 16 1970 Sergeant, Save My Boy
To confuse the enemy, Mainwaring moves his headquarters to a holiday hut previously occupied by deserted orphans.
October 23 1970 Don’t Fence Me In
The platoon replaces a Polish unit in charge of guarding a group of Italian prisoners-of-war.
October 30 1970 Absent Friends
When only two members of the platoon turn up for parade, the rest are found playing darts in the pub.
November 6 1970 Put That Light Out
Mainwaring assigns Corporal Jones to take charge of the platoon at the Walmington lighthouse.
November 13 1970 The Two And A Half Feathers
A new recruit has some interesting stories to tell about the military exploits of Lance Corporal Jones.
November 20 1970 Mum’s Army
Mainwaring decides to recruit some female members into the platoon to release his regular team for more important duties.
November 27 1970 The Test
Air-RaidWarden Hodges challenges Mainwaring’s men to a game ofcricket but secretly brings in a “ringer”.
December 4 1970A. Wilson (Manager)?
Wilson is offered managership at the bank’s Eastgate branch, a position with more authority than that at Walmington-On-Sea.
December 11 1970Unwanted Guests
Mainwaring is forced to share his office with Air-Raid Warden Hodges when the A.R.P. headquarters is bombed out.
December 18 1970Fallen Idol
Captain Mainwaring loses face with the platoon when he insists on separate accommodation at a weekend camp on grenade training.

December 25 1970 Christmas Night with the Stars
featured a Dad’s Army segment: Cornish Floral Dance

December 27 1971 Battle Of The Giants (60 minute special)
The Walmington-On-Sea platoon competes with the Eastgate unit to be chosen as the guard of honour for a visit by the Prime Minister.

Series 5
October 6 1972 Asleep In The Deep
Walker and Godfrey are on watch at the pumping station when it is hit during an air raid.
October 13 1972 Keep Young And Beautiful
To prevent their being retired for being too elderly, several members of the platoon resort to using male beauty aids.
October 20 1972 A Soldier’s Farewell
Following a cheese-supper, Mainwaring dreams he is Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo.
October 27 1972 Getting The Bird
Walker’s attempts at marketing a batch of stolen pigeons, together with Wilson’s domestic problems threaten scandal for the platoon.
November 3 1972 The Desperate Drive Of Corporal Jones
Jones misreads a map reference and inadvertently sends the platoon into an area where live ammunition is being tested.
November 10 1972 If The Cap Fits
Misunderstandings occur when Mainwaring temporarily promotes Frazer to the rank of Captain.
November 17 1972 The King Was In His Counting House
A party at the Mainwaring home is disrupted when a bomb hits the bank and immediate measures must be taken to ensure the money is guarded.
November 24 1972 All Is Safely Gathered In
The platoon volunteers to help a friend of Godfrey’s to harvest her crops.
December 1 1972 When Did You Last See Your Money?
Jones has mislaid five hundred pounds that the townspeople have donated for the establishment of a servicemen’s canteen.
December 8 1972 Brain Versus Brawn
To demonstrate the worth of his platoon, Mainwaring arranges for them to take place in a commando raid.
December 151972 A Brush With The Law
When Mainwaring is charged with showing a light during the blackout, he elects to defend himself at the magistrate’s court.
December 22 1972 Round And Round Went The Great Big Wheel
Mainwaring’s platoon is selected for a special assignment in connection with a new top secret War Office weapon.
December 29 1972 Time On My Hands
The platoon must extricate an enemy pilot whose parachute has become entangled round the steeple of the town’s mechanical clock.

December 25 1972 Christmas Night with the Stars
featured a Dad’s Armysegment: Broadcast To The Empire

Series 6
October 31 1973 The Deadly Attachment
Mainwaring’s men come face to face with the enemy when they find themselves guarding the survivors of a sunken German U-boat.
November 7 1973 My British Buddy
Mainwaring organizes some traditional British hospitality for some visiting American servicemen.
November 14 1973 The Royal Train
The platoon is to provide a guard of honour for the royal train of King George VI when it travels through Walmington-On-Sea.
November 21 1973 We Know Our Onions
The unit takes part in a Home Guard initiative test which ranges from an interview session to an obstacle course.
November 28 1973 The Honourable Man
Following the death of a relative, Sergeant Wilson ascends to the outer fringes of the aristocracy, much to Mainwaring’s annoyance.
December 5 1973 Things That Go Bump In The Night
The platoon is forced to spend the night in an apparently deserted house when Jones’s van breaks down.
December 12 1973 The Recruit
Whilst Mainwaring is in hospital, Sergeant Wilson takes it upon himself to recruit the Vicar and the Verger into the platoon.

Series 7
November 15 1974 Everybody’s Trucking
The platoon is given signposting duties as part of a military exercise but the arrival of a steamroller causes problems.
November 22 1974 A Man Of Action
Captain Mainwaring decides that martial law must be declared when a bomb lands at the edge of town.
November 29 1974 Gorilla Warfare
When Mainwaring takes an initiative test to be trained as a secret agent, members of the regular army set out to thwart his plans.
December 6 1974 The Godiva Affair
The residents of Walmington-On-Sea are organising a carnival for the Spitfire Fund and the platoon volunteers to do a Morris dance.
December 13 1974 The Captain’s Car
Mainwaring is loaned a Rolls Royce but it soon becomes confused with the official vehicle used by the Mayor.

December 23 1974 Turkey Dinner
The senior citizens are treated to a free dinner when Jones inadvertently shoots a turkey.

Series 8
September 5 1975 Ring Dem Bells
Whilst dressed as Nazi soldiers for the shooting of a training film, the platoon accidentally sets off an invasion scare.
September 12 1975 When You’ve Got To Go
The platoon rallies round Private Pike who has been issued with his call-up papers.
September 19 1975 Is There Honey Still For Tea?
It falls to Captain Mainwaring to have to advise Private Godfrey that his country cottage has to be demolished.
September 26 1975 Come In, Your Time Is Up
The platoon’s exercise afloat on the lake creates conflict with the local sea scouts but the arguments subside when a German air crew bales out.
October 3 1975 High Finance
Mainwaring decides that Corporal Jones must do something about the precarious state of his bank account.
October 10 1975 The Face On The Poster
Mainwaring’s plans for a recruitment campaign suffer a set back when the photographs on the poster are mixed up.

December 26 1975 My Brother And I (40 minute special)
Captain Mainwaring’s sherry party for local dignitaries attracts an unwelcome guest.

December 26 1976 The Love Of Three Oranges
Mainwaring’s men pitch in when the Vicar stages a bazaar to raise funds for troop comforts.

Series 9
October 2 1977 Wake-Up Walmington
Mainwaring believes the town has become apathetic to the threat of invasion so he arranges for the platoon to pose as fifth columnists.
October 9 1977 The Making Of Private Pike
Private Pike creates havoc with Captain Mainwaring’s new staff car.
October 16 1977 Knights Of Madness
The platoon takes part in a reinactment of the story of St. George and the dragon but things don’t go as planned.
October 23 1977 The Miser’s Hoard
Mainwaring tries to convince Frazer to put his box of gold sovereigns in the bank for safe keeping.
November 6 1977 Number Engaged
The platoon finds a bomb enmeshed in the wires of a strategically important telephone line.
November 13 1977 Never Too Old
Corporal Jones has decided to get married but getting to the Church on time could be a problem.

Radio Version

Series 1: BBC Radio 4
1/1 January 28 1974 The Man And The Hour
1/2 February 4 1974 Museum Piece
1/3 February 11 1974 Command Decision
1/4 February 18 1974 The Enemy Within The Gates
1/5February 25 1974 The Battle For Godfrey’s Cottage
1/6 March 4 1974 The Armoured Might Of L. Cpl. Jones
1/7 March 11 1974 Sergeant Wilson’s Little Secret
1/8 March 18 1974 A Stripe For Frazer
1/9 March 25 1974 Operation Kilt
1/10 April 1 1974 Battle School
1/11 April 8 1974 Under Fire
1/12 April 15 1974 Something Nasty In The Vault
1/13 April 22 1974 The Showing Up Of Corporal Jones
1/14 April 29 1974 The Loneliness Of A Long Distance Walker
1/15 May 6 1974 Sorry, Wrong Number
1/16 May 13 1974 The Bullet Is Not For Firing
1/17 May 20 1974 Room At The Bottom
1/18 May 27 1974 The Menace From The Deep
1/19 June 3 1974 No Spring For Frazer
1/20 June 10 1974 Sons Of The Sea

special: December 25 1974 Present Arms(based on Battle Of The Giants)(60 min)

Series 2: BBC Radio 4
2/1 February 11 1975 Don’t Forget The Diver
2/2 February 18 1975 If The Cap Fits
2/3 February 25 1975 Put That Light Out
2/4 March 4 1975 Boots, Boots, Boots
2/5 March 11 1975 Sergeant, Save My Boy
2/6 March 18 1975 Branded
2/7 March 25 1975 Uninvited Guests
2/8 April 1 1975 A Brush With The Law
2/9 April 8 1975 A Soldier’s Farewell
2/10 April 15 1975 Brain Versus Brawn
2/11 April 22 1975 War Dance
2/12 April 29 1975 Mum’s Army
2/13 May 6 1975 Getting The Bird
2/14 May 13 1975 Don’t Fence Me In
2/15 May 20 1975 The King Was In His Counting House
2/16 May 27 1975 When Did You Last See Your Money?
2/17 June 3 1975 Fallen Idol
2/18 June 10 1975 A. Wilson (Manager)?
2/19 June 17 1975 All Is Safely Gathered In
2/20 June 24 1975 The Day The Balloon Went Up

Series 3: BBC Radio 4
3/1 March 16 1976 A Man Of Action
3/2 March 23 1976 The Honourable Man
3/3 March 30 1976 The Godiva Affair
3/4 April 6 1976 Keep Young And Beautiful
3/5 April 13 1976 Absent Friends
3/6 April 20 1976 Round And Round Went The Great Big Wheel
3/7 April 27 1976 The Great White Hunter(based on Man Hunt)
3/8 May 4 1976 The Deadly Attachment
3/9 May 11 1976 Things That Go Bump In The Night
3/10 May 18 1976 My British Buddy
3/11 May 25 1976 Big Guns
3/12 June 1 1976 The Big Parade
3/13 June 8 1976 Asleep In The Deep
3/14 June 15 1976 We Know Our Onions
3/15 June 22 1976 The Royal Train
3/16 June 29 1976 A Question Of Reference(based on The Desperate Drive Of L. Cpl, Jones)
3/17 July 6 1976 High Finance
3/18 July 13 1976 The Recruit
3/19 July 20 1976 A Jumbo Sized Problem(based on Everybody’s Trucking)
3/20 July 27 1976 The Cricket Match(based on The Test)
3/21 August 3 1976 Time On My Hands
3/22 August 10 1976 Turkey Dinner
3/23 August 17 1976 The Captain’s Car
3/24 August 24 1976 The 2½ Feathers
3/25 August 31 1976 Is There Honey Still For Tea?
3/26 September 7 1976 Ten Seconds From Now(expanded from the 1972 Christmas segment)

starring John Le Mesurier, Ian Lavender and Bill Pertwee as Wilson, Pike and Hodges in a 1948 seaside pier setting. Scripted by Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles (who had adapted the radio versions of Dad’s Army)

Series 1: R2 November 13 1983 to January 15 1984 (not Dec 25)
1/1 November 13 1983 (The Business Proposition)
1/2 November 20 1983 (The Bank Loan)
1/3 November 27 1983 (Who Owned The Pier?)
1/4 December 4 1983 (Inspecting The Piles)
1/5 December 11 1983 (Pike In Love)
1/6 December 18 1983 (The Friends Of Frambourne Pier)
1/7 January 1 1984 (The First Meeting)
1/8 January 8 1984 (Marooned)
1/9 January 15 1984 (The Fancy Dress Night)

Series 2: R2 four new episodes were included during a repeat season of July 7 to October 9 1984
2/1 August 21 1984 (The Builder)
2/2 September 4 1984 (War Damage)
2/3 September 18 1984 (The Pin-Up Girl)
2/4 October 2 1984 (Hidden Treasure)

Film version

Stage version

Dad’s Army
Shaftesbury Theatre, London from October 2nd 1975A live presentation (with 1940s musical numbers) featuring all the television cast except John Laurie (replaced by HamishRoughead) and the late James Beck (replaced by John Bardon).

Recordings

Dad’s Army March/What Did You Do In The War?
Columbia single DB 8766 (March 1971)

Dad’s Army (original cast recording)
Warner Bros. LP K 56186 (1975)OverturePut That Light OutCarry On On The Home FrontCommand PostWhen Can I Have A Banana Again?The King Is Still In LondonLords Of The AirSiegfried Line + We’ll Meet AgainFloral DanceA Nightingale Sang In Berkeley SquareRadio Personalities Of 1940 (Happidrome/Gert And Daisy/Robb Wilton/Max Miller)Home TownThe BeachFinale

Dad’s Army – A Jumbo Sized Problem
BBC double-cassette ZBBC 1140
Contains four radio versions:When Did You Last See Your Money?A Jumbo Sized ProblemTime On My HandsTen Seconds From Now

Bibliography

Dad’s Army
by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (Elm Tree Books/Hamish Hamilton, London 1974. also paperback)
contains five scripts:Asleep In The DeepThe Deadly AttachmentThe Godiva AffairEverybody’s TruckingKeep Young And Beautiful

Dad’s Army Annual
six editions published by World Distributors, Manchester (1973 to 1978)

Dad’s Army—The Defence Of A Front Line English Village
by Paul Ableman (BBC Books, London 1989)
novelisations based on four Jimmy Perry and David Croft scripts:The Battle Of Godfrey’s CottageGetting The BirdMum’s ArmyMy British Buddy

Dad’s Army—The Making Of A Television Legend
by Bill Pertwee (David And Charles, London 1989. Enlarged edition: Pavilion Books, 199?)

Who Do You Think You Are Kidding!
By Colin Bean (Minerva paperback, London. 199?)

Dad’s Army – A Celebration
by Richard Webber (Virgin, London. 1999)

Dad’s Army – The Lost Episodes
By Jimmy Perry and David Croft (Virgin, London. 199?)

The Complete A – Z Of Dad’s Army
by Richard Webber with Jimmy Perry and David Croft (Orion, London. 2000)

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